Guangzhou court to hold next hearing on Akzharkyn Turlybay’s case Nov 2

“The sitting is scheduled for November 2. Akzharkyn’s attorney Sunkar Nurmaganbetov and representatives of the Consular Department of the Kazakh Embassy in China will attend the sitting too. Unfortunately, her mother will not be able to come to the court hearing,” Chief of the Consular Department Bolat Syrlybayev said.

The 20-year-old Akzharkyn was detained at Guangzhou Airport in March 2014 for smuggling 4.5kg of drugs (amphetamine). The girl said she had come to China to buy branded clothes for sale. According to Turlybay, the drugs were planted on her by the people she met during her trip. The girl was sentenced to life imprisonment.  

Later, the Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Centre for Combating Illicit Trafficking of Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and Their Precursors (CARICC) stated that the girl had become a victim of a Nigerian drug mafia.

On April 7, 2016 the court of appeals decided to reverse life imprisonment of Akzharkyn Turlybay and submit her case to reconsideration to the first instance court.